Despite Terror Threat, Bloomberg Urges Business as Usual

New York Police officers stop and check a vehicle near the World Trade Center on Friday morning, after an announcement of terror threat tied to the Sept. 11th anniversary.

Less than 12 hours after alerting the public about a credible threat of a terrorist attack in New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg traveled by subway Friday morning to Lower Manhattan and urged New Yorkers to go about their lives unafraid and undeterred.

“It’s serious, but I think the right answer is: Go about your business,” said Bloomberg, noting his early-morning trip on the subway to City Hall while speaking on his weekly radio show.

“We’ve got to make sure that we don’t let the terrorists take away our rights without any terrorism,” he said. “So, if you lock yourself in your house because you’re scared, they’re winning. If you don’t let somebody else pray, or say what they want to say, or deny rights to certain people, you know, that’s exactly what they want.”

Echoing his remarks from One Police Plaza on Thursday evening, the mayor on Friday called the threat “credible but not corroborated, which means one source.” Corroboration means “multiple sources, which increases the likelihood that it’s real,” Bloomberg said. “Credible means it’s possible.”

On Thursday night, U.S. officials said they received specific intelligence that al Qaeda militants in Pakistan might be attempting car or truck bombings in New York City and Washington D.C., to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Officials said they received the intelligence within the last few days and that they are taking the threat seriously. President Barack Obama, who is planning to attend the anniversary ceremony in Lower Manhattan on Sunday morning, was briefed on the threat multiple times Thursday.

On Friday, Bloomberg said he is not at liberty to discuss the precise details of the threat, but he pointed out that law enforcement officials review threats “all the time.” He encouraged the public, as usual, to report anything suspicious.

But the mayor said the city will move forward with its plans for the weekend, including the commemoration at the World Trade Center site Sunday.

“Everything will go on this weekend,” Bloomberg said, adding that he plans to attend the U.S. Open in Queens on Saturday night. “I feel comfortable walking the streets. I take the subway. And I think everybody should feel just as comfortable.”

“New Yorkers are sophisticated. They understand…we are the symbol of democracy from around the world,” Bloomberg said. Since 9/11, New Yorkers “knew that this is the place that terrorists would want to attack, and what’s happened? New York is back bigger than ever.”